Puzzle Fever
by KooKoo 4 Kaiba
Summary: Out of desperation, Mikey asks Don to help him with his Professor Layton game.  He gets more than he bargained for.


Wow, two stories in a week? I'm on fire! Haha, not really. This is actually just a way to keep myself entertained on a quiet, boring Sunday afternoon, so don't expect anything profound. I sort of wrote this story about myself, because I do this whenever I play Professor Layton, which, by the way, is one of the most awesome games ever. Those of you who haven't played Professor Layton probably won't get this as much, but those of you who have will know what I'm talking about. Anyway, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT, Professor Layton, Nintendo, The Dark Knight (there might be some spoilers in there, but nothing revealing), and I think I might have mentioned LBP somewhere...anyway, I don't own anything.

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><p>It was late in the afternoon, and all the turtles were cooling down in the kitchen after a hard day's training session. Raphael was sipping some soda while Leonardo drank his herbal tea. Donatello was sitting at the table reading a book across from his younger brother Michelangelo, who was playing a video game on his portable game station.<p>

"Ugh!" Mikey exclaimed. "Why does this stupid game have to be so hard?"

"What are you playing?" Don asked without looking up from his book.

"Professor Layton," answered Mikey. "I swear, I don't think I'll ever get past this puzzle. It's one of those that you have to do in order to get farther in the game, too."

"Don't they have hints you can use?" suggested Leo.

"I already used them! They're not helping any," Mikey replied.

"What kind of puzzle is it?" Don asked.

"A sliding puzzle. I hate those; they're so hard!" Mikey whined.

"Here, let me try," Don offered as he held out his hand.

"Really? Dude, you're the best!" Mikey exclaimed as he gladly placed the game in his brother's hands.

Don took the game and quickly surveyed the screen. Many multicolored blocks of different shapes and sizes covered it. After reading the instructions, he learned that his job was to move the biggest block to the exit, which was on the opposite end of the screen. After looking over the blocks one more time, Donatello made a plan. Without peeking at the hints, since that would be cheating, he made his move. He rearranged the blocks this way and that with the stylus, his hand quicker than lightning. In less than two minutes, Donatello had solved the puzzle and was rewarded by Professor Layton saying a witty phrase. He smiled.

"Dude, awesome! You solved it!" Mikey exclaimed.

Raph chuckled. "Yeah, and in just a couple o' minutes. How long were you workin' on that thing? Half an hour?"

Mikey stuck out his tongue at his older brother. "Whatever. It's not like you could've done any better. Anyway, thanks again, Donnie. You can give me back my game now."

But Don's eyes were glued to the screen. His hand still gripped the stylus as he moved it around and tapped things on the screen.

"Um, Donnie? My game? Can I have it back now?" Mikey asked again impatiently.

"Mmm," Don hummed in reply.

"Mmm? What's that supposed to mean?"

Donnie didn't reply. He just made a similar sound and continued to play the game.

Mikey frowned. "Yo, Donnie! Please give my game back. _Please_."

Raph laughed when Donnie didn't reply again. "I don't think he wants to."

"But I want my game back!" Mikey complained.

Raph rolled his eyes. "Hey, airhead," he said as he flicked Don on his forehead.

Don looked up. "Huh?" he asked.

"Mikey wants his game back."

"Oh, sorry," Don replied quickly.

"So...can I have it back now?" Mikey inquired expectantly.

Don looked sorrowfully at the game. "Are you sure I can't play it, Mikey? Just for a little bit?"

"Donnie!" Mikey whined.

"Mike, why don't you let him play?" Leo questioned in an exasperated tone.

"It's _my_ game!"

"You've been playing it for ages. Let him have a turn," Leo ordered. "Besides, hasn't he fixed that thing for you about a million times? He deserves it. I swear, I'm going to have to work on you."

"Ooh, busted," Raph mocked.

Mikey gulped. "Alright, Donnie, you can play it."

Don smiled widely. "Thanks, Mikey! It probably won't take me longer than an hour or so to finish it."

"An hour? Dude, those games take me at least fourteen!"

"Well, you're not a genius," Leo commented as he put down his cup of tea.

* * *

><p>Later that day...<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, Mikey, I finished it!" Don exclaimed. "I took a bit longer than an hour, but it doesn't matter that much, right?"<p>

"Wow, I can't believe you finished it that fast," Mikey replied. "So, did you like it?"

"This game is absolutely amazing! I mean, the puzzles are insanely fun, the cut scenes are great, and the story line is phenomenal!"

Mikey blinked. It wasn't often that you saw composed and quiet Don so excited about something like a video game. In fact, he hadn't seen Don like this since he had discovered how to make levels on Little Big Planet. Man, could that turtle make some cool levels. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Don."

"Are there any other games like that?"

"Yeah, the one you played is the first in the series. There are three other games that I have. It's kinda funny, I played them all backwards since I got the newer ones before the older ones!"

"Wouldn't the story be confusing, though?"

"Not really, it's pretty easy figure out what's happening."

"Oh. Cool! Do you think I could play them too?"

A quick side glance from Leo told them both the answer.

* * *

><p>That night...<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, guys, we're watching a movie! Get your lazy butts over here," Raph called to his brothers from the TV room.<p>

Mikey ran there as quickly as he could. Raph and Leo were waiting for him. "What are we watching?" he asked.

"_The Dark Knight_," Raph replied. "Where's Donnie?"

"Coming," came the reply. Don was walking slowly towards the living room. He was hunched over the game in his hand, his eyes glued to the screen.

"You still playing that thing, Don?" Raph asked, thoroughly amused.

"Mhmm," Don hummed.

"It's ridiculous!" Mikey exclaimed. "He's already on the third game. It would've taken me weeks to get there."

Leo sighed. "I can't believe you guys. Here, give me the game," Leo said as he held out his hand.

"Wait, I'm almost done with this one puzzle. Just give me a minute – hey!"

Leo had snatched the game from Don's hands, closed it, and set it on the coffee table. "It's family movie night. We're all supposed to be watching the movie together. You can have it back when the movie's done."

"_He_ can have it back when the movie's over? What about me? It's still _my_ game," Mikey grumbled.

"Can you numskulls do this after the movie? You guys are giving me a headache," Raph said.

"I can't believe I'm hearing that from _you_, Raph," Mikey commented.

"Yeah, well-"

"That's _enough_!" Leo said sternly. "Let's all just sit down and watch the movie, ok?"

There was grumbling, but everyone eventually sat down and started the movie. They had just gotten to the part where one of the Joker's goons said, "Where did you learn to count?" when Don interrupted by saying, "Ooh! That reminds me of a puzzle!"

"Oh no," Mikey groaned. He knew there was only one place this could go.

"You are given the numbers one through nine. Using each number only once, what five-figure number minus what four-figure number will give you 33,333?"

"Um, I don't know, Don," Leo answered awkwardly. "Can we just watch the movie?"

"Oh, yeah, sure! Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," Don apologized.

Silence descended upon the turtles for a good portion of the movie. When they reached the part when the police interrogated the Joker, though, Don blurted out, "Ooh! That reminds me of a puzzle!"

Raph's eye twitched.

"Four people mixed up their coats. 'A' says-"

"Don, really?" Raph asked in an agitated tone.

"Oh, yeah, sorry."

The turtles made it through the rest of the movie without any interruptions, until the credits rolled down and Don said, "Ooh! That reminds me of a puzzle!"

The turtles all groaned. Why had they let him play that game?


End file.
